A popular Cleethorpes fish and chip shop would like to show the rest of the country that the resort really is home to the nation's best fish and chips after being nominated for a national award.

Papa's Fish & Chips, on Cleethorpes Pier, has been shortlisted as one of the top 20 best fish and chip shops in the country in the Seafish 2019 National Fish & Chip Awards.

The company's restaurant in Hull has also been nominated in the top 20, meaning Papa's have two shots at winning the coveted crown.

Papa's Fish and Chips, on Cleethorpes Pier, which has been shortlisted in the top 20 of the Seafish 2019 National Fish & Chip Awards. Pictured outside the popular takeaway and restaurant are, from left, Jack Nee, supervisor, Charlie Cunningham, area manager, Dino Papas, manager, Libby Jackson, waitress, and Becky Broughton, manager

The family-run business has previously earned the title of the best fish and chip shop in the country in a BBC competition.

Organised by Seafish, the annual National Fish & Chip Awards is a prestigious competition which recognises true excellence in the fish and chip industry.

The top 20 represent the best in the UK and will now compete in two further rounds of judging in their quest to become the nation’s number one.

As part of the judging process, each shop is carefully assessed on a variety of elements including sustainable sourcing policies, menu development and innovation, staff training policies and processes, as well as wider marketing and promotional activity and techniques. Of course, the quality of fish and chips on offer and the levels of customer service provided by staff are vital too.

Papa's Fish and Chips opened on Cleethorpes Pier last year

Dino Papas, manager of the Cleethorpes Pier restaurant said that he was thrilled that they have received a nomination and his hoping that he will be able to bring the title of the UK's best fish and chips to the resort.

He said: "We have only been open in Cleethorpes for just over a year and the response we have had from everyone in the resort has been just incredible.

"Because of that we would just love to bring the title of the best fish and chips in the UK to Cleethorpes to show the country that this really is the home of the best fish and chips around."

Dino feels that the reason that his restaurant has been nominated due to its "fantastic" location, access to "high quality local produce" and its commitment to providing the best customer service and experience possible.

Papa's famous fish shop platter is among the sizeable offerings in the restaurant (Image: Liam Wood)

He said: "To be nominated in the top 20 best fish and chip shops is a huge honour, and for us to have two restaurants on the shortlist is truly incredible.

"At Papa's we are very lucky that we have easy access to some of the best produce available, with fresh fish every morning coming from the Grimsby Fish Market and our chips are made from some of the finest Lincolnshire potatoes.

"We pride ourselves on our high quality of customer service, with all our members of staff wanting to provide our customers with the best dining experience possible."

Over the coming weeks, the 20 shops nominated on the shortlist will undergo a further phase of mystery diner judging inspections in order to whittle then down to a Top 10, before the final stage of judging is held in London in January 2019.

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Marcus Coleman, chief executive officer at Seafish, said: "This flagship award category showcases the leading fish and chip businesses across the country. These shops have demonstrated real commitment to quality in a number of areas, not just food, and have worked extremely hard to earn their place on this list.

"There’s a tremendous amount of talent to be seen across the UK Top 20, and we wish them all the best in the next round of judging as we know how much this competition means to all of them.”

The winner of the Fish and Chip Shop of the Year Award will be announced at The National Fish & Chip Awards’ 31st anniversary ceremony in London on January 24, 2019.